When science fails, games succeed.

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Few days ago, I stumbled upon this TED video where Jane McGonigal talks about how online gaming can make a better world. Even though i am not big fan of online gaming, the reason that triggered my attention was when she expressed her career goal : “My goal for the next decade is to try to make it as easy to save the world in real life as it is to save the world in online games.” (Jane McGonigal). So, probably that’s a bit counterintuitive idea but it made me pause for a second and think…

Is there any likelihood that the above statement will become real ??

But first let’s re-think what online games are about…

Games have always been a social activity that promotes collaboration, certain ground of rules, trust, intense concentration and deep focus in order to achieve a win or solve a complicated problem. Online gamers have to deal with tough challenges and they need to cooperate with others to win. Unlike the real world, they have clear mission of where they are going and what they are doing and they are offered with a tons of collaborators that are willing to help them accomplish their mission. They get constant feedback, they develop problem solving capabilities, they learn to think faster, they get passionate and in overall they become the best version of themselves simply because the virtual worlds are better than reality.

In the last decade more and more people have devoted thousands of hours on playing games online. Just like internet is changing the way we read, think, and remember, online games change behaviors and help human beings become a more collaborative and hearty species.

But how can the world be benefited by this human evolution?

How the world could use those people’s skills and competences and apply them to real world work?

Let’s go a step back and think what are gamers getting so good at?

In my mind, the first is urgent optimism or extreme self-motivation. Gamers don’t sit around. Gamers play by the same rules, value the same goal and they will stay with the game until it’s over. The more they play with others, the higher trust they gain; therefore they build stronger social relationships as a result. If you think about it, when you work under these conditions you become blissfully productive and you enjoy working more. So, if people were given the right work, they would be willing to work hard all time!

According to what digital business models teach to us, in wikipedia people share their knowledge for free because they want to inspire others and become part of the world’s history. Google provides to its employees a personalised game centric working environment that promotes all the necessary beahaviors and development a person needs to be innovative and make an impact.

This is how virtual world are structured. Gamers make it happen. They actually believe they CAN change the world and they DO inspire others , nonetheless they believe they can demonstrate that kind of mindset only within the virtual worlds…

We live in a world where people have more power than ever. People decide what the future will be like. If game is the key to the human evolution and excellence, let’s start making the real world more like a game and help people become the best version of themselves to make a better world.

Feel free to post comments, links or any other resources you consider worth sharing. 😉